Court Gould, Executive Director

Court Gould is Executive Director of Sustainable Pittsburgh (SP), a public-policy advocacy group that affects decision-making in the Pittsburgh Region to integrate economic prosperity, social equity, and environmental quality bringing sustainable solutions to communities and businesses. Since its inception in 1998 at the Pittsburgh Technology Council, Sustainable Pittsburgh has created a diverse coalition across sectors that assists communities and businesses to implement sustainable development practices, and collaborates to integrate sustainability, through policy and practice, into the region's process for long-term planning and development.

Sustainable Pittsburgh established and launched a collaborative model to engage the government, private, and civic sectors on key regional issues, including: smart land use, Regional Equitable Development, Transportation for Livable Communities, amenities and lifestyles, Sustainable Business Solutions, and Sustainable Community Solutions. The principles and triple bottom line rewards of sustainability underpin Sustainable Pittsburgh's niche role of providing a framework for integrated thinking and action for the region's prosperity. As such, the organization's growing network is increasingly a "go to" for expertise on technical issues, best practices, testimony, and referrals. Mr. Gould routinely speaks on these issues and advises businesses and communities on strategies to implement the process of sustainable development.

SP's public engagement approach features partnerships with government and civic agencies to hold forums around the 10-county region to determine policy priorities. In developing indicators for Southwestern Pennsylvania, SP organized committees on 10 issues, engaging 250 leaders to craft a sustainable development agenda.

Court has worked at federal, state, and local government levels and has a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Southern California. He has 20 years experience in public policy and non-profit management and has consulted to national conservation organizations.

Mr. Gould is active in community organizations including recently having served as Chair of the Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership and Chair of the Local Government Academy. Court serves on local, state, and national advisory committees dealing with sustainability and public policy. He recently participated as a German Marshall Fund delegate in study of regional economies in Europe and also recently spoke at an international conference on sustainable development in Hiroshima. Court recently attended the Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Sustainable Pittsburgh recently received the Good Government Award from the League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh.

Lori Butler, Executive Administrator

Lori has worked in education for seventeen years and comes to Sustainable Pittsburgh from Chatham University where she served eight years as Office Manager in the Information Technology Department.  Prior, she spent two years in executive support to the President of Chatham and also worked at Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) for seven years.  Lori has a B.S. in Management Information Systems from Chatham University and two A.S. Degrees in Computer Science and Information Processing from CCAC.  Lori has taught one-credit computer proficiency courses at Chatham University and also has taught as a Lifelong Computer Learning Instructor at CCAC’s Boyce and Turtle Creek campuses. 

Lori is well received in her community.  In the past, Lori was voted Staff Member of the Year by Boyce campus CCAC students for two consecutive years.  Additionally, she has served as a United Way Chairperson for many years, as a sponsor for the Leukemia Foundation, as a SWPA Girl Scout Leader and as Vice President of Parents for Religious Education at her church. Recently Lori has become a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of Wilmerding and a member of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians in Turtle Creek. 

Matt comes to Sustainable Pittsburgh from the University of Pittsburgh, where he served as Visiting Assistant Professor in the Industrial Engineering Department and Research Associate at the Learning Research and Development Center.  Matt has taught a variety of courses related to complex systems and the fundamentals of sustainable product innovation and design, including taking students to China and Brazil for hands on experience.  He has written multiple journal articles in the areas of engineering sustainability and engineering education, and has co-authored “Ethical and Environmental Challenges to Engineering” with Michael E. Gorman and Patricia Werhane.

Ginette Walker Vinski, Communications Manager

For over ten years, Ginette has worked with a wide variety of individuals, community groups, municipalities, businesses, and universities in promoting environmentally responsible practices. Prior to joining Sustainable Pittsburgh, Ginette worked at the Pennsylvania Resources Council where she specialized in coordinating recycling events for "hard to recycle" materials, performed waste audits for businesses, and conducted adult education workshops, in addition to managing marketing and PR for the office. In 2005, working with the City of Pittsburgh's Office of the Mayor, Ginette helped draft legislation that created the Clean Pittsburgh Commission, a network of city departments, non-profits, businesses, and community groups working to make Pittsburgh a cleaner, more beautiful city through fighting blight. She served as an appointed member of the Commission for two years.

Ginette currently serves as a board member and past president of Allegheny CleanWays, a non-profit organization dedicated to engaging and empowering people to eliminate illegal dumping and littering in the County. She is Environmental Chair for the Explorers Club of Pittsburgh, and serves on the Advisory Boards for the Master of Science in Environmental Studies at Point Park University and Venture Outdoors. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration (Technology Marketing) from Duquesne University.